Maternity Style
Maternity Clothes Rental vs. Buying: Nuuly, Rent the Runway and Resale
A real-numbers breakdown of renting (Nuuly, RTR), buying new, and going secondhand for your maternity wardrobe — so you can spend intelligently across five or six months of changing sizes.
Clinically reviewed · June 2026
Renting (Nuuly at $98/month, RTR from $89/month) makes financial sense when variety matters and you'll use at least five or six items per month. Secondhand platforms (ThredUp, Poshmark) deliver the lowest net cost — up to 90% off retail on premium brands — with resale potential after delivery. Buying new only wins on cost-per-wear for everyday basics worn daily across the full pregnancy.
A maternity wardrobe gets used for roughly five or six months. That's a short enough window that the math on buying brand-new, full-price clothing — then having it sit in a bag after delivery — often doesn't hold up. But it's also long enough that trying to get through on two pairs of leggings and a single pair of jeans leaves most women uncomfortable and underdressed for real life. The three-way fork — rent, buy new, or buy secondhand — each works, but under different conditions.
What Does Each Option Actually Cost for Five to Six Months?
The table below uses real 2025 pricing from each platform and assumes a five-to-six-month active wear window. "Net cost" for secondhand accounts for selling pieces back on ThredUp or Poshmark after delivery.
| Option | Approx. Cost for 6 Months | What You Get | Key Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuuly (6 items/month) | ~$588 | Rotating wardrobe; 500+ brands; free ship/return | No mid-month swaps; popular sizes can sell out |
| RTR Basic (4 items/month) | ~$534 | Designer maternity labels (HATCH, Seraphine, Isabella Oliver) | Garment condition varies; limited plus sizing |
| RTR Mid (8 items/month) | ~$810 | Most volume flexibility; 2 shipments/month | Highest monthly spend; not ideal if you prefer basics |
| Buy new — budget tier | ~$300–$400 | Old Navy, H&M MAMA, Target Isabel Maternity | Lower quality feel; yours to keep or sell |
| Buy new — mid/premium tier | ~$500–$900 | Madewell, Seraphine, HATCH, Storq | High upfront cost; best resale value post-delivery |
| Buy secondhand (ThredUp) | ~$60–$150 | All major brands; up to 90% off retail | Curated but limited sizing/color choice at any moment |
Source: Nuuly pricing; RTR maternity review, Reviewed.com; ThredUp maternity.
How Does Nuuly Compare to Rent the Runway for Maternity?
Nuuly, owned by URBN (Anthropologie, Free People, Urban Outfitters), charges $98/month for any six items, with free shipping and returns, no damage fees, and no commitment — pause or cancel anytime. The platform serves sizes 00–40/5X with a filterable maternity assortment across 22,000+ curated styles from 500+ brands. The style tone is contemporary-casual; you're more likely to find an Anthropologie wrap dress or Free People blouse than a structured maternity blazer.
One documented subscriber found her six monthly picks would have cost approximately $850 to buy new — a 773% markup on the $98 fee. In November 2025, Nuuly added in-store returns at all U.S. Urban Outfitters locations, improving on the prior mail-only model. The main maternity-specific limitation: you cannot swap items mid-month if a size doesn't fit, and your selections can be out of stock at the moment you're choosing.
Rent the Runway offers three tiers: four items/one shipment per month for $89; eight items/two shipments for $135; sixteen items/four shipments for $199. RTR's maternity inventory is the most comprehensive of any rental platform — dedicated maternity brands include HATCH, Seraphine, Isabella Oliver, Rachel Pally, and Ingrid & Isabel, plus premium denim from Madewell, PAIGE, Citizens of Humanity, and DL1961. The platform distinguishes between dedicated maternity designs and bump-friendly non-maternity cuts, and its algorithm offers trimester-specific recommendations that adjust to nursing-compatible looks postpartum.
RTR's drawbacks are worth naming honestly: garment condition on high-demand pieces is variable, arriving occasionally worn or damaged; and dedicated maternity sizing frequently stops at size 14 or 22 in bump-friendly styles, leaving plus-size shoppers with fewer choices than Nuuly's expanded range.
Bottom line between the two: Nuuly wins on all-in value for everyday variety and inclusive sizing. RTR wins when your wardrobe skews toward special occasions, premium designer labels, or workwear.
Is Buying Secondhand Maternity Clothes Worth It?
The economics of secondhand maternity shopping are compelling. The ThredUp 2024 Resale Report (conducted by GlobalData) found that 60% of U.S. consumers say secondhand provides the best clothing value, and the global secondhand market grew 18% to $197 billion in 2023 — fifteen times faster than retail overall, with the U.S. market projected to reach $73 billion by 2028.
For maternity specifically, the secondhand case is even stronger: high-quality pieces from HATCH, Seraphine, Storq, and Madewell are worn for one pregnancy and often resold in excellent condition. On ThredUp, these brands appear at discounts the platform markets as up to 90% off retail. On Poshmark, peer-to-peer pricing means Seraphine jeans in excellent condition appear in the $25–$90 range; HATCH pieces in the $40–$150 range.
ThredUp accepts less than 40% of submitted items, which keeps quality standards higher than most peer-to-peer platforms. ThredUp's Clean Out program also allows you to mail in your pieces post-delivery and receive payout — making secondhand a virtuous cycle where you buy low, wear well, and recover a meaningful portion of cost after birth.
The honest limitation of secondhand shopping is timing and selection: you're working from available inventory at a given moment, which means your exact size in a specific brand may not be there when you need it. Building a secondhand wardrobe works best when started early — ideally before or early in the second trimester — so you have time to layer in pieces as they appear.
Own a small base of everyday items (two pairs of leggings, two or three neutral tops, one pair of maternity jeans) bought secondhand or at budget-tier new. Rent via Nuuly or RTR for the variety layer — different dresses, occasion pieces, anything you'd wear fewer than eight times. Resell everything post-delivery to recoup cost. This approach typically produces a six-month net spend of $200–$400 for a genuinely functional wardrobe.
When Does Buying New Maternity Clothes Make More Sense Than Renting?
Buying new beats renting or secondhand in two scenarios: when you need a specific functional item that doesn't exist at your size in the rental inventory, and when per-wear math is genuinely favorable for daily-use basics.
Consider leggings. A pair of BLANQI Everyday Maternity Belly Support Leggings at $42 worn three times a week for 20 weeks of pregnancy and 10 weeks postpartum (90 wears) costs $0.47 per wear. A $108 Beyond Yoga Spacedye Love the Bump Midi Legging at the same frequency runs $1.20 per wear. Neither number is available from a rental subscription, which charges per-item-per-month regardless of how many times you wear each piece. For daily-use items worn repeatedly across the full pregnancy, owning is almost always more cost-efficient than renting.
Buying new also makes sense for items where fit truly matters and you can't risk a size being unavailable — particularly maternity bras and supportive leggings, where proper sizing has a direct impact on comfort.
The brands that earn buy-new consideration at their price points are the ones designed for multi-use longevity. HATCH Collection ($98–$268/item) designs explicitly for wear before, during, and after pregnancy — customers report wearing pieces five or more years post-delivery. Storq's 4-Piece Maternity Capsule ($288 for four foundational pieces) is built on the same logic. Both hold strong resale value on Poshmark and ThredUp, partially recouping the initial investment.
For budget-first shoppers, Old Navy ($35–$65 for maternity jeans; $20–$35 for activewear) and H&M MAMA at comparable price points provide genuine everyday function without the investment. Independent reviewers have described H&M MAMA denim as rivaling higher-end brands in quality at budget prices — a reasonable starting point for core pieces. Target's Isabel Maternity by Ingrid & Isabel ($25–$35 for leggings) rounds out the budget tier with crossover-panel designs that read as non-maternity and carry forward postpartum.
A note on fabric and chemical exposure during pregnancy: If you're building a maternity wardrobe from any channel, it's worth knowing that performance textiles — especially activewear and leggings with stain-resistant, water-resistant, or anti-odor finishes — sometimes carry PFAS or phthalate-based coatings that can permeate the skin barrier with prolonged contact. For daily-wear items, look for OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification (which confirms third-party testing free from harmful substances) or a higher proportion of natural fibers. Storq holds OEKO-TEX certification across most of its line; Madewell's TENCEL™ lyocell blends and Seraphine's approximately 80% natural-fiber compositions are better choices than fully synthetic stretch construction. Washing new garments once before wearing removes residual manufacturing finishes at any price tier. This is general information — for specific concerns about chemical exposure during pregnancy, talk with your provider or midwife.
Frequently asked
Is Nuuly worth it for maternity clothes?
For most pregnant women who want variety without committing to purchases, yes — Nuuly is worth it, particularly in the second and third trimesters when body shape changes rapidly. At $98/month for six rotating items, Nuuly lets you swap styles monthly rather than buying pieces that may only fit for four to eight weeks. One documented subscriber found her six monthly selections would have cost approximately $850 to purchase new — a 773% markup on the subscription fee. The key limitation: you cannot exchange items mid-month if a fit doesn't work, and popular sizes can sell out at the time you're selecting. Pairing a Nuuly subscription with a small owned base (two pairs of leggings, a few basics) is the strongest combined strategy. Nuuly serves sizes 00–40/5X and has a filterable maternity assortment.
How does Rent the Runway maternity work?
Rent the Runway (RTR) operates on a tiered subscription: up to 4 items/month (1 shipment) for $89/month; up to 8 items/month (2 shipments) for $135/month; or up to 16 items/month (4 shipments) for $199/month. RTR has the most extensive maternity inventory of any rental platform — dedicated maternity labels include HATCH, Seraphine, Isabella Oliver, Rachel Pally, and Ingrid & Isabel, plus premium denim brands like Madewell, PAIGE, and Citizens of Humanity. The platform distinguishes between dedicated maternity designs and bump-friendly non-maternity cuts, with trimester-specific style recommendations. The main drawbacks are garment condition variability on high-demand pieces and limited plus-size maternity availability — many dedicated maternity items stop at size 14. RTR is the better choice when your wardrobe needs skew toward occasion wear, workwear, or premium designer labels.
Where can I find secondhand maternity clothes online?
The two largest online secondhand channels for maternity are ThredUp and Poshmark. ThredUp carries dedicated maternity inventory from all major brands — Seraphine, HATCH, BLANQI, Storq, Madewell, and Motherhood Maternity — at discounts the platform markets as up to 90% off retail. ThredUp accepts less than 40% of submitted items to maintain quality standards, making it more curated than peer-to-peer platforms. Poshmark is peer-to-peer, which means more price variability: Seraphine jeans in excellent condition typically appear in the $25–$90 range, and HATCH pieces in the $40–$150 range — both significant reductions from retail. ThredUp also accepts Clean Out bags after delivery, so you can recoup value from your maternity wardrobe post-birth, partly recovering your original investment. The ThredUp 2024 Resale Report found that 60% of U.S. consumers say secondhand provides the best clothing value, and the secondhand market grew 18% to $197 billion in 2023.
How much does a maternity wardrobe cost?
A functional maternity wardrobe of 12–20 pieces typically costs $150–$900 new, depending on brands chosen. A minimal budget build — Old Navy jeans, H&M MAMA basics, Target Isabel Maternity leggings, and thrifted dresses — can come together for approximately $150–$250. A balanced mid-tier build adding one pair of Madewell jeans, BLANQI leggings, and a mix of secondhand pieces runs approximately $350–$550. A premium wardrobe with HATCH, Storq's 4-piece capsule ($288), and Beyond Yoga leggings ($108) runs $600–$900. Buying secondhand on ThredUp can cut total cost by 40–70% for premium brands while preserving quality — especially effective for HATCH and Seraphine, which resell at deep discounts. For a thorough capsule-wardrobe breakdown by trimester, see our guide to building a maternity wardrobe.
Can I resell maternity clothes after pregnancy to recoup costs?
Yes — reselling maternity clothes after delivery is one of the smartest ways to reduce net wardrobe cost. Premium brands like HATCH, Seraphine, Storq, Madewell maternity, and BLANQI hold resale value well. On Poshmark, HATCH pieces in good condition sell in the $40–$150 range. ThredUp's Clean Out program allows you to mail in clothes and receive payout (cash or store credit) once items sell. Resale is most effective when: items were stored clean and unwrinkled, tags or original packaging are included where possible, and photos show accurate condition. Garments in neutral colors (black, white, gray) and classic silhouettes sell faster than trend-specific pieces. Combining secondhand purchasing with post-delivery resale can produce a near-zero net maternity wardrobe cost for disciplined shoppers who care for their pieces.
Should I rent or buy maternity workwear?
For maternity workwear — especially professional or occasion-specific pieces that get fewer wears — renting from Rent the Runway typically offers better value than buying. A premium maternity blazer or formal dress worn four or five times over a pregnancy represents a high per-wear cost at retail ($150–$268 for HATCH or Seraphine), but renting via RTR's 8-items/month plan at $135 spreads that cost over a rotating wardrobe. Everyday workwear pieces — well-fitting maternity trousers, neutral tops, a good blazer that fits open — are better owned, since cost-per-wear on daily items is low. The practical hybrid: own two or three reliable everyday pieces, rent for occasions, presentations, or events where you want a fresh look. RTR's maternity inventory includes dedicated workwear from HATCH, Isabella Oliver, and Seraphine.